An EdTech Checklist for New Teachers

Posted on August 23, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

It’s back-to-school time, so teachers are busy preparing their classrooms and lesson plans. While preparing your classroom, don’t forget to make the most of your technology! Here is a back-to-school EdTech checklist to help you get started.

1. Make sure your devices are charged and ready to go.

Before the first day of school, charge all your devices, including your laptop, tablet, and phone. This will ensure that you can use them throughout the day without worrying about running out of battery.

If you have a laptop or desktop computer, it’s also a good idea to ensure that it’s up-to-date with the latest software. This will help you avoid potential glitches or problems during the school year.

Finally, take some time to familiarize yourself with any new technology you’ll use in your classroom. Whether it’s a new app or website, spending a few minutes learning how it works will save you time and frustration.

2. Update your software and apps.

Now that you’ve charged your devices, it’s time to update your software and apps. This will help you avoid potential glitches or problems during the school year.

If you’re not sure how to update your software, don’t worry! The process is usually pretty simple. You can find the update option in the settings menu for most devices. Once you’ve located the updates, follow the prompts to install them.

If you’re using an app that needs to be updated, you’ll usually be notified when there’s a new version available. To update the app, simply go to your app store and search for the app name. Once you’ve found it, click “update,” and the new version will be downloaded to your device.

You can avoid any potential headaches down the road by taking a few minutes to update your software and apps.

3. Download new curricula and resources.

Now that your devices are all charged and up-to-date, it’s time to download any new curricula or resources you’ll be using in your classroom. This could include new textbooks to digital resources like eBooks or apps.

If you’re unsure where to find these resources, check with your school’s IT department. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

Once you’ve downloaded all of the new resources you need, take some time to familiarize yourself with them. This will help you hit the ground running on the first day of school!

This ensures you’re making the most of your technology this back-to-school season. By taking a few minutes to prepare, you can avoid any potential headaches and be ready to take on the new school year!

4. Set up your learning management system (LMS).

If you’re using a learning management system (LMS) in your classroom, now is the time to set it up. An LMS is a great way to keep track of your student’s progress, assign and grade assignments, and provide feedback.

There are many different LMS options, so take some time to research which one will work best for you and your students. Once you’ve chosen an LMS, create an account and start familiarizing yourself with how it works.

If you’re unsure where to start, check out our list of the best LMS options for busy teachers.

Setting up your LMS can make your life much easier during the school year. Trust us, it’s worth the effort!

These simple tips will help you make the most of your technology this back-to-school season. By taking a few minutes to prepare, you can avoid any potential headaches and be ready to take on the new school year!

5. Connect with other educators online.

One of the best ways to make the most of your technology is to connect with other educators online. There are tons of great online communities where you can share resources, ask questions, and get advice from your peers.

By connecting with other educators, you can ensure you’re always up-to-date on the latest technology trends. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about feeling alone in your journey as a busy teacher!

What are your favorite back-to-school tips? Share them in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.

Project Based Learning with Real World Experiences

Posted on June 9, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

As a Project Based Learning (PBL) coach, I help teachers design learning experiences with a project-first approach, as compared to traditional models that are standard/subject-first. The biggest obstacle I have encountered in my years of helping teachers is finding meaningful and purposeful projects. Therefore, I encourage teachers to consider “real-world” connections whenever possible. While that may be a vague term, I elaborate on the term by asking this follow-up question: “will I ever need this skill in the future?”. To me, that is what defines “real-world” learning. Students should feel that what they are learning has a purpose they will find helpful now or in the future that they can easily understand.

There are generally two ways to provide real-world experiences. You can provide a genuine experience or a simulation of an experience. An example would be an internship or a project that delivers tangible results or learning artifacts. A simulation can be just as powerful, but students should always be aware of the elements and why they are being simulated. For example, a science teacher might want to teach about volcanoes but doesn’t have easy access to any volcanoes, so students learn through models, videos, and examples.

Hydroponic Gardening Business (year-long project)

Plan

Starting with student strengths and core math content goals, The Harbour School Middle School Math teacher, Learning Extension Coordinator, and Foundry (maker space) teacher planned and organized the unit together. The group decided on an entrepreneurship focus that would provide application skills of algebra, geometry, and financial literacy content and a product development component that would use The Foundry and develop new skills in using tools.

Immerse

After a brainstorming session and an introduction to entrepreneurship lesson, students decided to co-create a business focusing on sustainability and gardening. For the project kick-off, students and teachers researched gardening in Hong Kong and discovered a local hydroponic growing company. Next, they organized a field trip to their facility to learn more about gardening, hydroponics, sustainability, and business practices. Through interviewing staff and interacting with the hydroponic system, students learned hands-on what it takes to garden with Hong Kong water and soil. They also learned best practices for organic gardening with hydroponic systems and about easy-to-grow plants for their business.

Teach and Reflect

Students developed a business plan and designed a schematic for a 6-tier hydroponic gardening system. With a solid business plan, the students were offered an investment from The Harbour School to acquire the materials and resources to start the business and build the hydroponic system. After students built the hydroponic gardening system, they tested through several iterations of growing different vegetables. They adjusted their business projections with each iteration, settling on a plan to maximize their profits. They also learned about business profit projections, investment interest rates, organic fertilizers, hydroponic substrates, and optimal growing conditions.

Delivery

Students settled on an online pop-up launch of their business, selling vegetables and herb packages to The Harbour School faculty and staff through a simple online ordering form. They marketed their packages with posters and word of mouth and ensured timely delivery to all customers. After selling out of stock, students earned enough money to repay production costs, purchase their next cycle of vegetables and herbs, and profit to pay themselves for their roles in the business. The students are planning their next business idea and looking for potential investors.

Outcome

The hydroponics gardening system will continue to operate at the school and serve as a community model for sustainable practices. The students that started the project will conduct a hand-off meeting with incoming students to explain how the system works and other transference of knowledge. The incoming students will be allowed to decide what to do with the system and how to proceed. One idea is to start a community gardening project for residents who live nearby without access to organic vegetables and produce.

Reflect

The Middle School Math teacher, the Learning Extension Coordinator, and the Foundry teacher mapped out how students met the learning objectives, wrote narratives for student portfolios, and documented the final details of the project for future use By using the Critical Friends protocol of criticizing the success of the project by stating “I like” and “I wonder” statements. This has demonstrated that a year-long project paid huge dividends for the students involved, which is sometimes difficult to adhere to. Students met their learning goals, earned real dollars, and are now interested in starting their businesses.

This example shows various ways to answer the question, “will I ever need this skill in the future?” If you are interested in learning more about Project Based Learning, here are some resources you can check out:

PBL Works

PBL Professional Development

My blog with several project examples

To learn more about this, tune into our upcoming webinar on the topic. If you are reading this article after the date of the webinar, no problem! All previously recorded webinars can be found here on our website.

Demystifying Artificial Intelligence

Posted on March 3, 2022November 2, 2022 by user

Whether you realize it or not, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already playing a major role in our digital lives. AI is involved in these applications, from what to watch next on YouTube, how to get to the supermarket on Google Maps, or asking Siri to schedule your next appointment. Since AI is already a part of our lives, shouldn’t we be learning about it in school?

Several education institutions have collaborated to develop the 5 Big Ideas in AI Education that provides a framework for how schools and curriculum designers can start incorporating AI into their curriculum, from theoretical to practical. Education researchers are also discovering how students, families and educators can benefit from learning about AI and have found that while AI can be extremely useful, it also has some limitations. For example, after students learn how AI image recognition works, they may find that it isn’t always 100% accurate. Our AI curriculum at BSD shows an example of how an AI image recognition tool can’t easily tell the difference between a chihuahua and a blueberry cupcake.

“Since AI is already a part of our lives, shouldn’t we be learning about it in school?”

In science fiction, AI is often depicted as hyper-intelligent and deeply complex. The reality is that we are still very far away from AI, which is comparable to human intelligence. We have systems that, over time, become very good at predicting outcomes based on supplied data.

Let’s imagine you want to train an AI image recognition system to use your webcam to tell the difference between apples and bananas. First, you would supply dozens of pre-labeled images of apples and bananas. Then you would show your webcam some example images or real-life examples to see how well it predicts the correct fruit. Depending on the quality of the supplied images, the AI will do its best to predict what is shown.

This is where we might encounter some problems. All data is susceptible to 3 forms of data bias:

Amount of information
Diversity of information
Quality of information

Like humans, we need many examples and practice to learn something new. For the AI to learn the difference between apples and bananas, it must see dozens if not hundreds of different images. Those images also need to be diverse enough to show the range of different shades of colors, shapes, and varieties of the two fruits. The supplied images must also be high-quality images free of “noise” or background information. If the supplied images meet the requirements and contain less data bias, the ability to predict will be higher.

You can even try this for yourself now. Here is a link to BSD’s AI Image Recognition Tool. This tool uses your webcam to take photos of whatever you want it to recognize. Let’s use the previous example of apples and bananas. Hold up an apple to your webcam and click on “Add to Class One,” and the webcam will snap one photo and save it for learning. Hold up a banana and click on “Add to Class Two.” You will need a minimum of 10 images for each class. Once you have the photos, click on “Training & Predict.” The AI tool will analyze and learn the supplied images, allowing it to predict what the webcam sees. Then, test out the prediction by showing other examples of apples and bananas.

Instead of apples and bananas, you can choose any two items, or even use your own face, perhaps with and without a funny hat or sunglasses. If you encounter any prediction errors, refer to the 3 types of Data Bias for clues to what might be the cause.

BSD’s AI Image Recognition Tool.

Want to Learn More?

Free BSD Webinar

Demystifying Artificial Intelligence

March 17

Beyond Blocks: First Steps In Text-based Coding

Posted on February 4, 2022October 4, 2023 by Beth

I first started using the now famous block-based coding application called Scratch in 2012 with version 1.4. I was teaching a summer camp program inside of a makerspace and was teaching students how to make their own maze-style video games. For all of the students, it was their first time trying coding, and most were skeptical that they could make their own game or learn how to code. So I prefaced the class that we would be making something that looked more like Pac-man and less like the modern graphics-intensive games they were used to. Most of the students were impressed with the results of the Scratch environment’s straightforward interface and 2D graphics. All of the students walked away with a cool new video game and a sense of accomplishment because block-based coding was so accessible and easy to use.

Since then, I have used several block-b犀利士 ased coding platforms to help students get started. One thing that has been difficult over the years is to help students transition to text-based programming with languages like JavaScript and Python. The blocks, like Lego, are very intuitive and provide structure for programming. However, a blinking cursor on a blank text-based programming environment is less inviting and less stimulating. Many students are eager to try text-based coding but are intimidated by the process. I have found that the key to this transition lies in three pedagogical practices:

Live Coding
Syntax Learning
Tinkering

Live Coding

Live coding is when you, as the teacher, start to program while verbally explaining every line of code with students while they follow along on their computers, going line by line. While leading students, you can also draw parallels to block-based programming by showing examples of how the programming elements are the same in both environments. The Microsoft MakeCode environment is conducive because it automatically translates block-code to JavaScript or Python.

Syntax Learning

Syntax Learning is when you treat syntax like any other vocabulary learning from a traditional subject. You can have students make vocabulary cards, practice identifying terms and definitions and even play syntax bingo. Any traditional vocabulary exercises also work with coding syntax.

Tinkering

Tinkering is the art of playing around with something until you learn how it works. This approach should be used after students have some general knowledge of the basics, so they don’t feel completely overwhelmed or lost. In Tinkering, failures and mistakes are seen as opportunities to grow and learn because there are no serious objectives.

Even with all three of these pedagogical practices, teaching text-based coding to students may still be challenging, with which only time and practice will make perfect. If you want to deep dive into research-based methods for teaching students to code with a “coding as a second language” approach, I highly recommend the research and tools designed by Felienne Hermans. She has even developed a programming language called Hedy, aimed at teaching students how to code from the perspective of acquiring a new language.

To learn more about this, tune into our upcoming webinar on the topic. If you are reading this article after the date of the webinar, no problem! All previously recorded webinars can be found here on our website.

The Coding Journey From A Teacher’s Perspective

Posted on January 25, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

If you are a teacher, then you can relate to this! We have all been in that situation where something is sprung on us at the last minute. We, as teachers, have to adapt to change daily.

Picture it…you are in the first faculty meeting of the year, you have a million things to do before the students arrive, and the principal announces that he has great news. Of course, you brace yourself because his idea of great news usually means more on your plate.

He proceeds to announce that he challenges everyone to try something new this year, especially something that encourages computational thinking and maybe a computer language (as he turns and winks at me, the digital literacy teacher).

My insides crumbled, and I instantly wanted to SCREAM.

Teachers spend much of their summer decompressing, but we also plan for the next school year. Especially in August, with a start date of September. We have nameplates written, numbers assigned to the students, and our curriculum maps were written over the summer and placed nicely in your brand new binder. We have a “plan” for the year already laid out. As the Digital Literacy teacher, I have requested all the applications I need for the year and whitelisted all the websites too.

After the faculty meeting, I instantly went into my principal’s office.

Me: Now I need to teach a computer language?

Principal: Yes

Me: I don’t know how to code. I am not a programmer.

Principal: You’ll figure something out.

Me: Which computer language? Who’s going to teach me?

Principal: Ummmm, I don’t know and if you need PD, let me know.

So, off I went! I started searching for a computer language that I could understand AND teach. I stumbled upon a lesson using binary numbers and thought, “I can do this.” The lesson was very detailed, and I could even find a video of the lesson in action. (you can locate the lesson here and the video here.)

Let me just say, “Drop Mic!”

I nailed the lesson, the kids were SO engaged, and I received “highly effective” for my observation.

So I brushed off my hands and said, “Done!”

Wait, not so fast! The students kept asking:

“Are we going to do more with binary?”

“How about block coding? I do that at home.”

“Mrs. Renda…we want to learn more about computer languages.”

My principal heard the buzz and called me into his office.

Principal: You did it! The students are chatting about coding. Do more!

Me: What?? More??

So, again I went home that night and researched block coding. Hmmm, block coding seems easy. I’ll just throw the students on that application and see what they make. Let them explore.

STOP!! Epic fail!

Many students struggled, asked tons of questions, and said at the end of class, “Can we go back to binary? This was too confusing, and it wasn’t fun.”

What? Really? So I thought about it. Why were they getting so frustrated? They are on computers all the time, playing games and watching videos. Why couldn’t they do this? What was so different between the binary lesson and block coding?

And then it clicked! I EXPLAINED the binary lesson, we TALKED about key vocabulary, we PRACTICED as a whole group, and then they worked INDEPENDENTLY.

Why would I change the way I teach so drastically? Of course, the students need an explanation. When they learn to read, we don’t just throw a book in their hands and say “read”. We don’t put them in front of a bunsen burner before explaining how to use it. Why would the coding be any different?

Okay, RESTART.

The next day I announced that we are going to revisit block coding. The crowd groaned. “Now wait…give me a chance.”

I admitted to them that I was also new to this and that we would learn together. A few students who have done block coding spoke up and said they would help along the way.

So we dove in….

Engagement. I showed them some sample projects created using block-style coding. I was starting to pique their interest based on the whispers.

Explore. Then I showed them the workspace and blocks, and we talked about the common vocabulary words like sprites and costumes. My more experienced students gave some tips and suggestions that made it very helpful.

Learn. I gave them a beginner-level project that was already done for them. This allowed them to play with the different blocks that were already presented to them.

Create. The next day the students felt more confident with their new skill and said they were ready to try another project. This time I gave them a beginner-level project where they only had to use a few blocks to create an animated name.

From there, the students were off and running. Those with a more difficult time reached out to those more advanced. I watched the students and learned right along with them.

At the end of the day, I got called into the principal’s office AGAIN!

Me: (deep breath and release)

Principal: Thank you for taking this “coding project.” The students seem to be enjoying it.

Me: (big smile) Thank you!

Principal: Sooooo, now the students and parents are asking for a Girls Who Code club. Is anyone that would be interested in being the advisor? (wink, wink) Oh, and do more coding in your classroom too!

Here we go again, but this time I GOT THIS!

I asked myself:

Where do I go for the curriculum?
Will the students and I need to learn another application?
How do I, as the teacher, teach something I know nothing about?

Turn to BSD Education!

BSD Education provides a curriculum that is skill-based, not age-based. All the projects are real-world, scaffolded, easy to follow, and linked to CSTA and ISTE standards.

Each project comes with a slide deck containing teaching notes, a planning document when needed, a guided project for the students, quizzes to assess understanding, and the ability to export their project into sandbox mode where the students can get creative with the code or the teacher can integrate the project into their core curriculum.

BSD Education allows students to express their interests and passions by using HTML, CSS, and JS, which are languages used by professionals. BSD uses these languages to teach digital skills such as digital citizenship, problem-solving, and computational thinking.

BSD’s platform is easy for both the teacher and the student. They provide an easy and safe way for students to log in via Google or Microsoft, a user-friendly username and password, and a generated secret code to join the classroom.

The platform provides a way for the students and teacher to collaborate and a convenient way for students to ask for help, which not only notifies the teacher but also gives you a link to the step they are having trouble with.

The student’s progress is shown in real-time and provides built-in quizzes to check for understanding.

BSD Education provides the support needed to help every teacher successfully teach digital skills. BSD provides professional development to help you set up your classroom, invite students, and choose the best courses and projects that best meet your student’s needs.

But wait, there’s more (sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

Seriously…usually, that’s where the support ends. However, BSD Education provides continuous support throughout the school year by lending 1:1 coaching sessions, on-demand online support, glossary cards to support the student (and the teacher), and model answers to all projects.

Nailed it!

Mic drop!

4 Quick Tips to Get Your Students Hooked to Tech Class

Posted on January 12, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

Sometimes, getting our students to feel as excited as we do about tech class can be challenging! You might hear different comments floating around the classroom: “Oh! I can learn to be a hacker!”, “Hm…I am not very good with computers….” “But I don’t want to be a computer programmer!” In my classroom, I have found that contextualization and setting expectations are consistently the most powerful way to get students interested and engaged. The way we contextualize is ever-changing, and here are four things you can bring into your next class!

1. Set the scene

Before each unit, project, and/or topic, set the scene and help your students see the connection to what you teach them and how it relates to the real world. Students become naturally curious and engaged when they see the topic’s relevance in their lives.

What to do: You can ask students where they have seen this type of technology before. Keep your conversation open – there is no “right” or “wrong.”

Skill gain: Critical thinking

2. Set clear expectations

Be transparent about the learning journey and set expectations. Explain to students that this is the beginning of their journey as coders/programmers; during class time, it is the time to explore possibilities together. They may find different areas relatable and appealing in tech; some may have an appetite for design, some are debugging wizards, or some are great entrepreneurs! Having an open mind about programming and how it shows daily will help them stay engaged.

What to do: Take 5 minutes each session to ask students to set a personal learning goal for themselves. Then, get each of them to share. From there, manage expectations and offer ideas for achieving that goal.

Skill gain: Adaptability

3. Make it real!

Keep students engaged during tech class and bring more interactivity to your classroom – this will make YOUR life more manageable.

What to do: Ask students to imagine that they are working at an agency. Put them into pairs or teams. They will be held accountable for each other’s learning throughout the week! For each lesson, allocate at least two stand-up (2-3 minutes sharing sessions) and feedback sessions. You can ask students to do their stand-ups at each lesson’s start, middle, and/or end. Ask students to consider:

What surprised me about the learning?
How might I use this learning in my daily life?
Where do I see the connection of the technology I learned today to my daily life?
What do you like about your team’s work? How might you improve it?
What will I customize in this project?
How would I improve or change this project if I knew how to?

Skill gain: Communication

4. “Am I just copying and pasting code?”

In the early stages of our students’ technology journeys, they may wonder: “I feel like all I am doing is copy and paste – is this really coding?!‘

At the beginning of the school year or semester, explain to students that the tech projects you will do together will teach them fundamental coding and programming concepts. The main focus and objective are for them to understand how the code interacts to create something – our goal is not for them to memorize code! We do not encourage “mindless” copy-and-pasting.

A successful programmer/coder is not defined by how much code they can type. Instead, they are defined by how well they can piece together code effectively.

What to do: Check in often with students and ask them to explain what they have just done to their partner/team.

Skill gain: Creativity

I hope these four tips can excite your tech class and encourage your students to see that tech class is not just about using a computer. Instead, it is a chance to consider technology’s broader perspective and impact and the valuable skills to help them get “future-ready”!

Building Good Digital Citizens: Uncovering Bias With Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

Posted on December 1, 2021November 23, 2022 by user

Artificial intelligence (AI) was typically only found in dystopian science fiction novels, but that is no longer the case. Everything from disease recognition and prevention to security at large events, AI is making its way into our everyday lives, and its presence will only grow as technology advances.

Due to its rapid growth, any educator needs to identify how students will be impacted by AI and how we can prepare them for the future. Although many facets of AI will soon, if not already, be incorporated into our daily lives, this article will focus on one important aspect: facial and image recognition.

What is AI Image Recognition?

AI image recognition uses a subset of AI called machine learning that can identify and categorize specific objects, including people, animals, and various landmarks. Utilizing a wealth of data, computers can use a camera and a machine learning algorithm based on neural networks and pre-trained data to identify these objects.

For a computer to make sense of images, they must be broken down into pixels, each pixel having a value (0 = black / 255 = white). Below is a photo showing how an image is broken down into pixels and how each pixel has a value.

What Issues Does AI Image Recognition Have?

AI isn’t perfect and is only as good as the data it has at its disposal. If a machine learning image recognition tool struggles to recognize the difference between two different images, it’s likely because it does not have the data or images necessary to make an accurate distinction between them.

For instance, as infants, we learn to see patterns in colors and shapes to recognize them later. We start to get good at predicting based on what we have already seen. For AI to predict, the software needs to have seen many images and examples.

When an AI image recognition tool does not have lots of data or does not have a variety of data, predictability issues arise, and the tool is not as effective as one with more information. This can lead to inaccurate predictions, a bias that could have significant consequences for society as this tool becomes more widespread.

How Can We Educate Students About AI Bias?

As AI image recognition tools become more utilized for various purposes, our students must recognize the common issues with these tools and help prevent the negative aspects that can present themselves. Even providing students with a basic understanding of what AI is, how it works, and what limitations it has can go a long way in helping our students make informed decisions.

As a part of Computer Science Education Week and in conjunction with Hour of Code, BSD Education is offering a free project that allows students to explore an AI image recognition tool and teaches them how AI sees images, makes predictions, and how we can make sure that those predictions are accurate and free of bias. While utilizing this tool, students will also learn valuable 21st-century coding skills, including the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Access AI Webcam Image Classifier at app.bsd.education/free.

We hope you and your students will find this project informative and helpful in understanding how AI works and can be used for good in the future. BSD Education feels strongly that this type of learning, along with other digital skills, is vital to every student’s education. Please contact us here if you would like to learn more about how you can partner with BSD in the classroom so your students are future-ready.

Want to Learn More?

Free BSD Webinar

Building Good Digital Citizens: Uncovering Bias With Machine Learning

Join BSD Education VP of Education Mark Barnett to see how AI sees images, makes predictions, and how we can make sure they are accurate and free of bias. We’ll also explore similarities between AI and how our minds work by studying the effects of bias and data categorization.

Block-based Coding vs. Text-based Coding

Posted on November 4, 2021November 2, 2022 by user

Given how widespread technology is, teaching coding is becoming more and more necessary. Knowing how to code—or at least the basics of coding—is now an important skill for students moving into higher education and when they begin looking for a job.

Teachers have identified this important skill and children are now learning how to code at an early age. However, with a wide range of options available for educators to begin teaching their students how to code, it’s important to make an informed decision that will set students up for success.

Block-based coding has emerged as a tool to offer students an introduction into the world of coding that allows them to explore code in a friendly environment. At BSD Education, we are fans of how block-based learning like Scratch has helped to reach millions of students globally.

While educators can instantly begin introducing digital skills into their classroom with this type of instruction, teachers should also understand the limitations of this tool. In this article we’ll explain why BSD feels traditional text-based coding is key for teachers and students that want to move beyond the blocks and are ready to take their digital skills to the next level with text-based programming like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

First, let’s make it clear what block-based and text-based coding are:

What is Block-based Coding?

Instead of traditional text-based coding, block-based coding involves dragging “blocks” of instructions to manipulate the code. The most popular example of this is Scratch, the first block-based language created by MIT. Other examples include Snap, Scratch Jr., and Microsoft MakeCode.

What is Text-based Coding?

Text-based coding is what professionals use and is done by typing keyboard characters following a certain syntax (rules and regulations) of a particular programming language. For a breakdown of coding languages, please see this previous BSD blog post.

Why Text-based Coding

Learning any new language is difficult, but at BSD we believe it is important to introduce text-based coding to students from third to eighth grade so they move past the blocks, become familiar with a real coding environment, and build a foundation that has no limitations. While many teachers begin with block-based coding to help ease their students into learning this new language, introducing students to text-based coding is inevitable and will be necessary when expanding students’ knowledge.

Here are three specific reasons why text-based coding is our preferred method of learning how to code:

1. Better to Learn with Text-based Coding

While block-based coding can be an avenue to introduce coding to students, it’s much more difficult for students to grasp real coding concepts and syntax when they’re essentially dragging and dropping boxes. With text-based coding, students receive a full learning experience that instills important coding concepts that they will remember and can build off of.

An MIT study revealed that while students are in the best stage of their lives to learn a new language until they are 17 or 18 years old, the optimal age for learning a new language is before the age of 10. At BSD Education, we feel learning coding is very similar to learning a new spoken language and that it’s important to take advantage of this window of opportunity by introducing students to actual coding concepts through text-based coding at an earlier age so they are more likely to comprehend and build on their skills in the future. Since a child’s brain is more pliable, a real coding experience can help them integrate this important skill and provide them with a massive advantage the younger they begin.

Since learning coding or any new language can be difficult, it’s critical you have a partner and a platform that can guide students through this experience. At BSD, we’ve developed more than 600 hours of certified curriculum that uses a scaffolded approach so students are constantly building on their knowledge. Whether it’s basic concepts or moving into advanced stages of coding learning, BSD is by your side to help students along.

Learning coding syntax is made easy with BSD Education as a partner in the classroom.

2. Text-based Coding Builds Adaptability and Resilience

A key aspect of learning something new is making mistakes, identifying what went wrong, and then fixing those mistakes. With block-based coding, making and learning from mistakes isn’t as prevalent since students are working within the confines of predetermined blocks of code and can’t reach outside of those boundaries. By moving blocks around, students are learning the general idea of how coding works, although not necessarily the skills beyond that.

Meanwhile, text-based coding presents many real-world challenges that help students actually learn how to solve problems. Since students are given the freedom to customize and extend themselves beyond drag-and-drop actions, text-based coding allows students to grow by making mistakes. Through this learning experience, students will build the knowledge they need to code as well as the adaptability and resilience they need for anything they do in school or life.

Due to these additional obstacles presented while using text-based coding, it’s important to have a tool that guides both the student and teacher through their coding journey. Using BSD’s guided projects, students receive regular prompts and can track their progress in real time so they can overcome challenges on their own and feel confident to reach for more.

BSD’s guided projects are like having another teacher in the room, making learning how to code easier on students and teachers.

3. The Sky’s the Limit with Text-based Coding

There are no limitations with text-based coding the way there are with block-based coding. Students looking to build their coding skills, and even possibly choosing a related career path, will need to use text-based coding. While block-based coding can work as an introduction to the world of coding, students are limited to the blocks available to them and prevents further development as a programmer past a certain point. As students gain more experience, block-based coding does not offer more dynamic and expressive capabilities that are available through text-based coding.

Even if students don’t choose a career path in technology, having these foundational skills they are learning with text-based coding can be applied to any job they pursue. Through learning real coding skills as opposed to drag and drop programs, students can develop a broad range of skills that include key computational thinking and critical thinking skills vital to learning in any core subject.

Give Students a REAL Coding Experience

Using text-based coding can seem like a difficult task, particularly for inexperienced teachers. However, the reward of seeing students learn real-world coding skills and build on a foundation of knowledge they can apply to any career in the future is well worth the initial challenges.

Teaching coding and digital skills is now easier than ever by partnering with BSD. With an intuitive platform that guides students through a variety of projects, a scaffolded approach that helps students build on their skills, and unrivaled support so ANY educator of ANY subject can begin teaching real coding skills today, BSD is your answer in the classroom.

Contact us today so we can address your unique needs and develop a partnership that will help your students reach further and have an experience that will equip them with the skills they will need for tomorrow, no matter what career path they choose.

Four Things To Consider When Developing EdTech Curriculum

Posted on October 22, 2021October 4, 2023 by Beth

Major world events frequently act as a trigger and catalyst to rapid innovation. As we experienced with Covid-19, schools and families have seen a surge in the adoption of different educa威而鋼 tional technologies. These include video conferencing tools, online learning platforms, and classroom management tools, etc. We’ve also increasingly seen innovative and effective teaching and learning activities created by educators for EdTech curriculum.

Here at BSD Education, when we design our curriculum for our learning platform, we consider Student Engagement, Flexibility, Student Agency, and Simplicity when we design the content and activities across our content library.

Let’s explore each of these areas:

Student engagement

One of the most significant concerns with online learning is the level of student engagement. We know that when students are engaged, they are more likely to take away something from that time you spent together in class that day. To overcome issues of student engagement, just like designing any other products or services, we have our end-users in mind, and that’s our teachers and students. We ask ourselves, “What do they want to know about?”, “What can we share with them?” I firmly believe that engagement and enthusiasm are infectious in the classroom. If the teacher is engaged with the content and can connect and see the topic’s relevance on a broader scale beyond the classroom, students will be more likely to participate, lean in, and see how it connects to and impacts their lives.

Flexibility

A flexible curriculum to allow for unexpected situations is another factor to be considered. Sometimes, classroom discussions may also lead to incredible learning opportunities. When we develop our curriculum at BSD, we allow room for teachers to design their lessons with our activities. We present bite-sized content to enable teachers to design their flow. The way they design their curriculum depends on the needs of their students. For example, in our TechFuture offering, resources for discussions, hands-on activities, and topical content are presented separately to allow our teachers to create a learning experience that suits them. In addition, education technologies and tools have allowed for more flexibility in course delivery.

Student agency

Closely linked with student engagement and flexibility in the curriculum is student agency. Through education technologies, we as educators can set up classroom activities to encourage student agency by offering pathways of exploration and learning new skills and topics. When designing the EdTech curriculum, we leverage the ease of information sharing capabilities and access to knowledge through learning systems. Our task as teachers is to become a facilitator of learning and exploration to create room for student choice and ownership in their learning journeys.

Simplicity

Curriculum resources should never be overly complicated. We set straightforward learning goals to help our teachers achieve their objectives regardless of topic, project, and activity as they develop the curriculum. Simplicity brings ease of use (better user experience) for teachers to focus more on the students rather than figuring out the tech or the content.

We have discussed some technical factors to curriculum development, but there are many other factors in consideration. The diversity of your students’ needs should always come first when designing and implementing a curriculum. The best approach is to try it out! Utilize education technologies to support your curriculum little by little, and always know you can reach out to your community to discuss all the creative possibilities!

Curriculum Design: Three Practical Ideas to Implement Today

Posted on October 22, 2021November 2, 2022 by Beth

As an educator, I have used several forms of curriculum design, from traditional textbooks, government-mandated curriculum. I have even used non-curricular approaches with un-schooling my children. However, educators can tell you, the way the curriculum is written is often used differently in classrooms. This is especially true for rigid and traditional curriculum. Educators need to craft their nuance into the curriculum and modify it to fit local needs. For example, while teaching middle school science in rural Texas, we used a science textbook that gave examples of rainforest ecosystems.

My students hadn’t seen a rainforest, but they knew the ecosystems in their backyards, farms, and ranches. So, naturally, I adapted and used examples that students could relate to instead of the textbook examples. This made the rainforest examples more relatable once we looked at them with our local ecosystems having been learned first.

At BSD Education, it is my role to oversee our curriculum development process and define a vision for our curriculum. After years of being a Learning Experience Designer, here are three practical ideas that you can use for developing a curriculum:

Decide on a pedagogical foundation.
Use learning standards or a learning framework.
Design for flexible learning environments.

Decide on a pedagogical foundation

An often overlooked aspect of curriculum design is pedagogy. At BSD Education, we design our curriculum on three pillars of pedagogy: Constructionism, Project-Based Learning, and the Pedagogy of Play.

The pedagogical approach that you use will depend on the values that your curriculum is trying to convey. It includes the styles of learning that you want to immerse your students into, and the age of the students. Try exploring some different pedagogical approaches to see what might best suit your needs.

Use learning standards or a learning framework.

Every teaching subject will have a set of guidelines, frameworks, or standards that outline the actual learning material and objectives. For example, at BSD Education, we lean on the ISTE Standards for Students and the CSTA standards for computer science.

Pre-existing frameworks or sets of standards are vetted through a rigorous process, making them a great starting point. When adopted by governments, schools, and other education providers, it gives them greater credibility and reliability.

Design for flexible learning environments

In recent times we have learned just how important flexibility in the curriculum is, whether it’s teaching online, face-to-face, or in a blended environment. Designing the curriculum with this in mind allows for maximum flexibility that can benefit both students and teachers. At BSD Education, we create our curriculum and platform so that lesson delivery can happen virtually, face-to-face, or even self-paced.

Designing for this type of flexibility can be difficult, which is why we also include educator and student feedback as a part of our design process. Then, we take the feedback and explore ways to improve and make our curriculum more flexible and valuable while maintaining consistency to the standards and alignment to our pedagogical foundations.

Bonus: How to Design a Culturally Relevant Curriculum

For more on Constructionism, watch our BSD Learn webinar over on our YouTube channel today